S8 ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



At length, wrought to a frenzy by the miracles, the kings Huneame and 

 Wuc'ubcame demanded to be thus killed and restored. The brothers, 

 after some hesitation, tore their hearts from their breasts, cut off their 

 heads, and then refused to resurrect the slain. Terror seized the court, 

 and the princes attempted to tiee, but in vain ; all but one perished in 

 the slaughter that ensued, and the Votanide empire of Xibalba came to 

 an end. This is the main story of the Popol V^uh, which received addi- 

 tions down to Spanish days, for it ends thus : " This is all that remains 

 of the existence of Quiche ; for it is impossible to see the book in which 

 formerly the kings could read everything. It is all over with those of 

 Quiche. It is now called Santa Cruz." 



The Cachiquels were a brave people of Guatemala allied to the 

 Quiches and the Mayas. They also had their history, Avhich Dr. Brinton 

 calls one of the most noteworthy monuments of American antiquity. It 

 is termed The Eecord from Tecpan Atitlan, that being the name of 

 the place in which it was found. It is in the Cachiquel language, but in 

 European characters, and its compilers were Don Francisco Ernantez 

 Arana Xahila, who was writing it in 1581, and Don Francisco Tiaz 

 Gebuta Queh. The following is its description of the battle of Iximche, 

 in which Oxlahun Pek or Thirteen Dogs and his cousin Cablahun Tox or 

 Twelve Knives overthrew the supremacy of the Quiches and made tliem- 

 selves masters of Central America. 



"The instant the lights of morn, descending from the summit of the 

 mountains, began to illumine the earth, the shouts and yells of warfare 

 suddenly broke forth, banners were unfurled, and together were heard 

 resounding the drum, the war trumpets and the shells of battle ; it was 

 a terrible thing, the descent of the Quiches. They came in quick order, 

 and from afar their companies could be seen following each other with 

 speed, coming down to the base of the mountain. They made no delay in 

 reaching the houses built along the water's edge on the bank of the 

 river ; following them came the Kings Tepepul and Iztayul escorting 

 their god. Then they found themselves face to face with the Cachiquel 

 battalions. The shock was truly terrifying ; immediately the yells, the 

 shouts, the drums, the trumpets, and the shells of battle rang out, mingling 

 with the incantations of the heroes. Soon the Quiches were broken on 

 evei-y side, almost before they came to hand-to-hand combat. They were 

 completely routed ; the Quiche nation was given over to death, and none 

 may compute the number of those who perished. A great multitude who 

 surrendered as prisoners were taken along with the Kings Tepe])ul and 

 Iztayul, whom their god gave into our hands. This is, indeed, why the 

 Galel Achi, the Ahpop Achi, the grandfather and the son of the chief 

 jeweller, the chief treasurer, the chief secretary, the chief engraver, 

 and all the Achihab were put to the sword ; it was not by eight nor by 

 sixteen thousand that the Quiches were counted who were slain there by 



